The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-12-14
ATNILED PREHISTORIC MAN
Discovery Of the Missing Link in the Mountains
OF Texas.

One hundred and fifty miles east Of Ell
Paso, via the Texas and Pacific Railway,
and in twenty-five miles of the road, is the
new mining camp named Carrizo, where
the richest silver and copper mines in Texas
have rece..tly been discovered. Immedi-
atciy north Of CarriZo lies that famous
mountain range called the Diabolo or
Devils Mountain. towering over thousand
Ecet above tie surrounding plain. Near
the snmuli., which is composed of limc-
stnIc, are found numerous caves aad tun-
nvls, which extend for distance of ten
miles. ard some Of them penetrate the
mCpl;aiA fully 500 feet. Indian tradition
accounts for these caves as the abodes CT
spirits or devils, and the extremely super
st;iioas Apaches gave the haunted Diabolo
Mountains Il wide berth. Until very re-
Gently the dark, terrible and frowning
mount has never been explored by white
men. the nomadic cowboy not caring to
scale It's rugged heights, nor face the super
Stiti0us awe which seemed to surround the
place aad take possession of the intruder.
Since the discovery of silver there, how.
ever, III: more venturcsomc miners have
partially explored one long cave.
~. =.
scientific bent Of mind, was the first white
man to enter the so-called habitation of
spirits. Win a tallow candle and prospect
pick. he penetrated the cave hundred
feet. but did not venture further. The
walls OF the cavern bore numerous evil
Geacas OF former babitation. Stone i'm
plements, Done needles and pottery in ex
cei!ent preservation were scattered here and
there in the caves. Carcasses of bears and
other huge animals were lying near heap
of ashes. sThe mold of ages lay deep on
the ii0or and sides of the cavern Surely
ne thought, this YVES the home of the ancient
ciiIf d,cller. Osmer then with his pros
peel PICK began digging in pile of dirt,
and was rewarded by unearthing skeleton
o. gigantic proportions. First the skull,
then the Tertcbrac were brought to light,
But IN the meantime his candle had burned
low, and rather unneryed by the strange
spectacle and the hideous moaning sound
Of the wind as IL waved through the awful
depths of the gloomy old cave, which is
now the abode Of the mountain lion and
other terocious beasts, Osmer retreated to
daylight, carrying with him the skull and
backbone.
1'hc skull be found to be that of man.
The under jaw is OF mammoth size, easily
receiving the head Of an ordinary man
within its sides. The teeth are enormous
morals or double teeth all around, and in a
pcrfec, state Of preservation. The surprise
ard qualification were great in Osmer when
he examined the vertebrac. 1t is Of i'm.
iaense size, and the strange thing about it
is that instead Of terminating abruptly, as
in the ordinary man, it is prolonged for
eight or ten inches beyond, describing a
graceful curve to therear While the main
vcrtcbrae is l;rnly set the caudal append
age is flexible. At its juncturc with the
backbone proper, at the usual location of
the c9cyX, it measures four and one=half
inches wide, but it narrows rapidly toward
the end. Considerable Of the tail has dis
appeared, probably by decomposition, but
sufficient remains to demonstrate beyond
don5: that, at last, the long-sought man
with 4 tail has beer found in the mySteri-
Gus old cavern OF Northwest Texas. Mr.
Osmer refuses all offers for his strang0fnd,
and keeps it closely guarded in his cabin,
allowing the curious visitor TO see his old
cl;tf-dyeller friend at all times. It should
be seen by scientific men, and examined,
and perhaps the Darwinian theory will be
forever established beyond even the shadow
of a doubt. And i; would, in all proba-
bi:i:y-, b4 time well spent tor the men of
science 10 visit Garlic and further explore
the prehistoric caverns of the Diabolos.-
81. L0uGs Past DiSpdtch.